]]>The perfect starter to a Ramadan Iftar meal, this deliciously-spiced fruit salad recipe was submitted by reader Shazia Wahid. From experience, I know it tastes just as good as it looks and it’s the quintessential dish to appear at an Indo-Pakistani Iftar table during Ramadan.

Fruit Chaat

By Yvonne Maffei
Published: July 17, 2013

Yield:4 cups (4 Servings)

Prep:15 mins

A traditional Iftar starter during Ramadan within the Indo-Pakistani culture.

]]>http://myhalalkitchen.com/fruit-chaat/feed/4Bruschetta with Tomatoes, Garlic and Cheesehttp://myhalalkitchen.com/bruschetta-with-tomatoes-garlic-and-cheese/
http://myhalalkitchen.com/bruschetta-with-tomatoes-garlic-and-cheese/#commentsSat, 13 Oct 2012 20:00:19 +0000http://www.myhalalkitchen.com/?p=11977Finger foods aren’t just for parties. When it’s really hot outside, I don’t like to get too complicated in the kitchen. When it’s cold outside, I like comfort food. Bread and cheese fit in both of these categories, so here comes my recipe for simple Bruschetta, or Italian toasts. They can be made on the grill ...

]]>Finger foods aren’t just for parties. When it’s really hot outside, I don’t like to get too complicated in the kitchen. When it’s cold outside, I like comfort food. Bread and cheese fit in both of these categories, so here comes my recipe for simple Bruschetta, or Italian toasts. They can be made on the grill if you don’t want to crank up your oven; alternatively, they can be made in a toaster oven if you don’t want to remove all those pots and pans you store in there (not saying anyone I know actually does that…)

Bruschetta with Brown Tomatoes, Garlic and Cheese

I used black tomatoes in my recipe because they were intriguing and fresh at my market. They don’t taste much different from other tomato varieties, in my opinion so if anyone is apprehensive about the color affecting the taste, tell them there’s no need for that.

Serves 4, 6 or even 20- if everyone can eat just one each…

½ loaf Italian or thick French bread, about one-inch around

4 cloves garlic

3 black tomatoes, finely diced (or any type of tomatoes you have on hand)

1 bunch flat leaf Italian parsley

good quality extra virgin olive oil

Freshly grated Parmesan, Provolone or any of your favorite type of {halal} cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Slice bread into about 20 pieces.

Place bread slices on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove immediately.

Rub fresh garlic on each piece of bread (top only). Add a sprinkle of diced tomatoes on each piece and then top with fresh parsley, a drizzle of olive oil and a bit of Parmesan to top.

]]>http://myhalalkitchen.com/bruschetta-with-tomatoes-garlic-and-cheese/feed/0Savory Zucchini Frittershttp://myhalalkitchen.com/savory-zucchini-fritters/
http://myhalalkitchen.com/savory-zucchini-fritters/#commentsWed, 22 Sep 2010 16:28:00 +0000http://www.myhalalkitchen.com/?p=5343At the end of every summer, it’s easy to take the plethora of zucchini and other types of summer squash for granted. In my experience, people are trying to give it away because they have so much, and if they can’t give it to you as-is, they’ll try to give it to you in the ...

]]>At the end of every summer, it’s easy to take the plethora of zucchini and other types of summer squash for granted. In my experience, people are trying to give it away because they have so much, and if they can’t give it to you as-is, they’ll try to give it to you in the form of zucchini bread!

This year has been a bit different, however. I’m not sure if it’s been the intense heat we’ve had here in the Midwest over the summer, but many backyard gardeners I know told me their zucchini didn’t grow well at all this year. That makes it even more important to do something delicious with whatever amount of zucchini you’ve got on hand.

They’re simple to make and actually pretty quick and versatile because you could use the same method of making them with other types of vegetables, like carrots.

I love this dish particularly because it’s a great light lunch with a salad and a piec of rustic bread (some like to make it into a sandwich), or for a dinner side dish or appetizer. Either way, this is a great way to taste the end of summer and await the bounty that fall brings.

Savory Zucchini Fritters

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 zucchinis, skinned and grated

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 white onion, minced

1 egg

¾ cup flour

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

grapeseed oil for frying

Directions

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the oil.

Warm the oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan.

Use an ice cream scoop to drop enough of the zucchini mixture into the oil for each cake.

]]>http://myhalalkitchen.com/savory-zucchini-fritters/feed/10Pecorino Cheese Crisps (Frico)http://myhalalkitchen.com/pecorino-cheese-crisps-frico/
http://myhalalkitchen.com/pecorino-cheese-crisps-frico/#commentsMon, 20 Apr 2009 05:23:13 +0000http://www.myhalalkitchen.com/?p=1096I’m so glad there was a request for this recipe. I mentioned it in my last post about the Viking Cooking School where I attended the “Lunch & Learn” that it was one of the recipes given, and I would post it if there were requests. Come back in a couple of days when I’ll ...

I’m so glad there was a request for this recipe. I mentioned it in my last post about the Viking Cooking School where I attended the “Lunch & Learn” that it was one of the recipes given, and I would post it if there were requests.

Come back in a couple of days when I’ll post the recipe for Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream, the last of the three recipes I received at the class.

These are super easy to make and go very well with soup or salads, even fresh fruit. Enjoy!

Pecorino Cheese Crisps (Frico)

Ingredients

2 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated (about 1/2 cup)

1 teaspoon. all-purpose flour

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, such as Silpat.

Combine the grated cheese and flour in a small mixing bowl.

Place 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture on the baking sheet.

Pat the cheese into a flat circle about 2-1/2 to 3 inches in diameter. Repeat until you have used all the cheese; space the circles 1 inch apart.

Bake until the crisps are light golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.

Remove from the oven, and allow to cool on the baking sheet. The wafers will crisp as they cool.

Notes:

Crisps may be made up to 3 days in advance.

Store by layering between parchment paper in an airtight container.

As a variation, substitute Parmesan or Asiago cheese for the Pecorino Romano. You could also add chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, parsley or oregano to the cheese mixture before cooking.